UFC on Fuel 6: The 10 Best Fights from the First 5 Fuel Cards

UFC on Fuel 6: The 10 Best Fights from the First 5 Fuel Cards

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Oh, how the UFC has grown.

The world's premiere mixed martial arts organization was once reserved for hardcore money-wielding fans willing to drop some coin to watch their favorite warriors battle on pay-per-view. But now the sport offers cards for free on networks like FOX, FX and, of course, Fuel TV.

Thanks to the UFC's expansion to these other markets, fight fans have been treated to some spectacular bouts for a price tag that even a broke college student (ahem) can afford, and for that, we thank you.

With UFC on Fuel TV 6 looming, let us take a look at some of the best fights from previous installments of UFC on Fuel.

10. Paulo Thiago vs. Siyar Bahadurzada

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This UFC on Fuel TV 2 matchup lands at No. 10 on our list solely for its brevity.

Less than one minute into the first round, Thiago charged his foe, looking for an opening to attack. What he found instead was a stiff punch that he ate squarely on the jaw, and with one blow Bahadurzada made his UFC debut in spectacular fashion.

This is one of the most stone-cold knockouts one will ever see, and Siyar "The Great" put the entire welterweight division on notice with the powerful punch.

9. Matt Wiman vs. Paul Sass

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After defeating Matt Wiman via submission at UFC on Fuel TV 5, Paul Sass had every reason to celebrate. The submission wizard was 3-0 in the UFC, with each victory coming via tapout, and the win over Wiman catapulted him into contender status.

Oh, wait—my sources are telling me that is not at all what happened. In fact, the exact opposite of what was expected occurred, and Wiman controlled the Brit on the mat en route to securing a fight-ending armbar in the very first round.

Usually on the delivering end of such a finish, Sass suffered his first career defeat at the hands of "Handsome" Matt Wiman, sending him back to the drawing board for his next outing inside the Octagon.

8. James Te Huna vs. Joey Beltran

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Yep, that picture pretty much summarizes this bout perfectly.

Joey Beltran may have shed some weight to make his light heavyweight debut at UFC on Fuel TV 4, but his impenetrable chin stayed fully intact.

James Te Huna teed off at will on Beltran in this fight, and the "Mexicutioner" weeble-wobbled, but he never fell down. Showing off his warrior mentality, Beltran fired back with some hefty shots of his own, and he dropped Te Huna on occasion to keep fans on edge.

This was an absolute slugfest, and fans of two dudes throwing heavy leather for 15 minutes left fully satisfied and applauding the efforts of the two light heavyweight combatants.

7. Stefan Struve vs. Stipe Miocic

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Stefan Struve is one of the most talented fighters in the UFC's heavyweight division, and he showcased his striking skills for the world in his main-event slot on UFC on Fuel TV 5.

Facing the undefeated Stipe Miocic, Struve started slowly and ate bombs in Round 1 (as he always does) before finding his groove and rebounding for a TKO victory in Round 2.

"The Skyscraper" demonstrated his power and killer instinct after wobbling his foe, and he swarmed with an impressive combination that left referee Herb Dean no choice but to halt the action and save Miocic some brain cells.

This was a great fight between two of the division's brightest young stars, and for that, it comes in at a solid No. 7.

6. Brad Pickett vs. Damacio Page

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The "Fight of the Night" from UFC on Fuel TV 2 comes in at No. 6 on our list.

This bantamweight tilt between Brad "One Punch" Pickett and Damacio "The Angel of Death" Page was an absolute barn-burner, and it featured everything a fight-frenzied fan could desire.

Hard punches, wobbly knees, back-and-forth action and a definitive submission finish by Pickett characterized the matchup, and the two bantamweights left the Octagon $50,000 richer for their efforts in this incredible battle.

5. Chris Weidman vs. Mark Munoz

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Heading into his bout against Mark Munoz at UFC on Fuel TV 4, some particularly accurate analysts were singing Chris Weidman's praises, noting that his wrestling and athleticism would be too much for the then-top-10 middleweight Munoz to handle.

We were right.

Weidman delivered his most impressive victory to date, and he absolutely demolished Munoz en route to becoming the middleweight division's scariest new threat to Anderson Silva's crown.

All things considered, this fight was pretty awesome.

4. Igor Pokrajac vs. Fabio Maldonado

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Igor Pokrajac and Fabio Maldonado came to throw down, son.

While the judges would eventually declare Pokrajac the victor in this UFC on Fuel TV 3 matchup, there is no doubt that the fans were the true winners here (I apologize for the cliche, but seriously, this fight ruled).

While James Te Huna and Joey Beltran slugged it out in similar fashion, Maldonado and Pokrajac truly went toe-to-toe in this tilt, and I, for one, had no idea who won the fight. Each fighter landed some devastating shots, and Maldonado's body shots were some of the best in UFC history.

This was a good ole-fashioned scrap, and a nice, friendly beatdown is always welcome on a slideshow of mine.

3. Andrew Craig vs. Rafael Natal

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You may not have seen this fight when it originally broadcast during the prelims of UFC on Fuel TV 4, but if you caught the action, you certainly did not forget it.

Scrappy Texas-born fighter Andrew Craig got manhandled by Brazilian Rafael Natal for the better part of two rounds, but as they say, it's not over till it's over, and Craig definitely still had something to say in this tilt.

With a thundering head kick in the closing seconds of Round 2, Craig ended the night of the trash-talking, arrogant Natal and reminded him why it is not advisable to showboat during a fist fight.

Revenge is sweet, and Craig made up for 10 minutes of getting his ass kicked with one swift flick of the hips.

2. Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger

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The UFC on Fuel's inaugural event could not have had a better main event.

What happens when you put the hard-hitting and brutal Jake Ellenberger in the UFC Octagon against a foe who refuses to quit, even after having his brains scrambled on multiple occasions?

After getting crushed by Ellenberger for the first two rounds, the cyborg-like Sanchez came back in Round 3 and nearly finished his foe via ground-and-pound in the round's fading seconds. It was clear Ellenberger had nothing left to give, and he was truly saved by the bell in this one.

Unfortunately for Sanchez, this main event fell under the old format of three five-minute rounds for non-title affairs, and he never had the opportunity to finish what he started in the third round.

Still, this loss did not affect Sanchez's place in the welterweight division; it was a tough and gritty performance, and it showcased his warrior heart for all to enjoy.

1. Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung

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MMA fans and critics thought the UFC on Fuel TV 3 main event between featherweight contenders Dustin Poirier and "The Korean Zombie" would be good, but nobody thought it was going to be this good.

I personally think people exaggerate some of "The Korean Zombie's" performances inside the Octagon, but this matchup in particular was every bit as good as you've undoubtedly heard.

The two 145-pounders went back and forth with crisp exchanges that at times turned into all-out brawls, and this resulted in a supremely entertaining bout that left viewers stunned and enthralled. Both fighters looked incredible everywhere the fight went, and it was an absolute joy to see two technical fighters lay it all on the line for the crowd's entertainment.

"The Korean Zombie's" finish in this fight was nothing short of spectacular, and if you have not seen it yet, I highly suggest you check it out in the near future. This is one you really do not want to miss.